You know the saying, “The end justifies the means”?
Well, I believe some people treat others as mere means — expendable materials on the way to achieving their own goals.
For them, people are tools, almost inanimate objects.
They don’t care what people think or feel — and even if they do care, even if they take thoughts and feelings into account (which is, of course, a more “advanced” approach), their real goal is still something else, and people are only valuable as long as they serve that goal.
But I believe people are always the goal, not the means.
Because the most precious, the most beautiful thing we have in life — is the process of interaction with others.
Goals are good, sure.
But if we lose sight of the people along the way, then all the goals become meaningless.
And when, along our journey toward achieving whatever we’re aiming for, we truly meet — deeply, genuinely — the people we cross paths with, when we realize that this moment of connection is the most valuable thing on the entire journey…
I think that’s when we are living our truest life.
At least, that’s what I try to practice.